It’s hard to believe, but we’re finally going to see some Major League Baseball starting next week. In this article, we’ll point out the best American League totals to take advantage of as a bettor.
A lot of people have said it – and it rings true. This season will be (by far) the hardest to handicap for a variety of reasons. How will players respond to the time off in isolation, empty stands and heightened expectations in a shortened season?
Without further ado, let’s look at three teams that have profitable over/under totals.
| AL Team | O/U Pick | Best Odds | Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Red Sox | Under 31 Wins | -110 | Claim at William Hill |
| Seattle Mariners | Under 24.5 Wins | -110 | Claim at William Hill |
| Tampa Bay Rays | Over 34 Wins | -110 | Claim at William Hill |
Boston Red Sox (Under 31 wins, -110)
It will be fascinating to see how talented teams with slim title aspirations handle this season; we’ve got a quite a few of them – Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants among the group. If teams get off to a bad start, there’s a legitimate thought they could rest their better players down the stretch and not worry about getting back in the race.
The Red Sox lost a ton of talent this offseason – Mookie Betts and David Price (trade), Rock Porcello (free agency) and Chris Sale (injury). With that, Boston will face some very strong pitching in the NL East with the crossover schedule.
Despite those losses, the offense still has guys like JD Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi. Unfortunately, because of the pitching, there won’t be enough wins to crack this total.
Seattle Mariners (under 24.5 wins, -110)
Down at the bottom of the win totals reside the Mariners, tied for the third-worst in MLB. Going into 2020, Seattle had a very clear plan to play the younger guys in the system and let them take some lumps – and take some lumps they will. This will be the first time in 20 years that Ichiro Suzuki or Felix Hernandez aren’t on Seattle’s opening day roster; look for unfamiliarity to be a key symbol to the season.
Mariners’ wins won’t come easy this season. The AL West is loaded with at least three teams – Astros, A’s, Angels – that can make the playoffs and the Rangers are stiff competition too. In the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers could win every meeting against the Mariners convincingly, and don’t forget the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres, who are capable of winning some ball games.
If things get real ugly out of the gate, look for the Mariners to unload some guys at the shortened trade deadline and start preparing even more for the future.
Tampa Bay Rays (Over 34 wins, -110)
If there’s anyone that’s used to playing in front of no fans, it’s certainly the Rays. But it really hasn’t mattered, consistently winning games year after year. The oddsmakers have taken notice this season, giving Tampa Bay the fifth-highest win total of any team in the league.
The Rays’ bullpen is perfect for this shortened-season scenario, essentially rolling out a number of different arms. Using that wide array allows the team to have more mismatches in a season where every game matters. Not to mention, the starting rotation has Blake Snell, Charlie Morton and Tyler Glasnow at the top.
It’s also worth noting that Tampa Bay is now undoubtedly the second-best team in the AL. Boston’s run of competing with New York will be put on hold for at least this season. Now, it’s TB’s time to make that brave run of beating the favorites.
For some much-needed pop in the lineup, Hunter Renfroe (Padres) and Jose Martinez (Cardinals) were acquired in a pair of trades.
